tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62099563126015096252011-10-23T17:58:04.863-04:00Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.comBlogger3471100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-13215192460959000262011-04-25T19:14:00.000-04:002011-04-25T19:14:22.793-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted on here but things are so crazy these days that sometimes this blog is the furthest thing from my mind.  I always make a point of having some good homemade meals every week even when times are hectic so it's not that we've been eating poorly it's just that taking the photos & actually finding time to sit down and post them is becoming more and more difficult.

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-68144023071474394042011-04-17T21:41:00.000-04:002011-04-17T21:41:52.334-04:00

Last night, after coming home exhausted from a miserable (weather-wise) and long work-day, I wanted nothing more than a nice, healthy & homemade meal.  We managed to pull this meal together with things we had on hand and it was really satisfying.  Luke used Yukon gold potatoes because he doesn't like sweet potatoes but I think the slightly spicy sweet potatoes were the perfect topping to this

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-18838125735139356142011-04-17T21:23:00.000-04:002011-04-17T21:23:55.382-04:00

After another weekend of work and more work on the house, we needed a good Sunday supper.  The fence is so close to being finished, the basement is fully dry-walled/mudded/taped and I'm doing my best to keep the dogs out of the way & the dust around here to a minimum. By roasting a chicken tonight, it'll make tomorrow night's chicken enchilladas much easier using the leftover chicken meat.  Even

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-76263775459427853082011-04-14T07:35:00.001-04:002011-04-14T07:36:50.199-04:00

I saw my first jar of red pesto at the grocery store a few weeks ago and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.  Red pesto?  How had I never seen or heard of this before?  I knew I wanted to try making some and after looking up a few recipes, I decided to just come up with my own concoction.  Most of the recipes I found relied mostly on the sundried tomatoes for the colour and flavour but

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-77410059311807699162011-04-07T07:41:00.000-04:002011-04-07T07:41:55.322-04:00

Well, we have a working stove again and a fully dry-walled basement although I do see a lot of painting coming in the near future.  Good thing I'm headed to Ottawa today for the weekend for a work conference.  I'm hoping that by the time I get back all of the projects are magically finished and I'm off the hook for helping. I had picked up a rotisserie chicken from the store earlier this week

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-75127854083330879842011-04-04T18:33:00.002-04:002011-04-04T18:38:19.849-04:00

Judging by the last two posts you might assume we've been eating 'light' around here lately (...because a b.l.t salad is 'light' and all) and really, I do wish that were the case but unfortunately - it's not.  We're still renovating our basement (among a list of other projects on the go) and we haven't had access to our stove for the past few days because the stove is on the same breaker as the

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-76359946318764693862011-04-01T19:56:00.001-04:002011-04-01T19:57:13.848-04:00

Luke's away at the Jays home opener tonight (...I hate baseball) so I'm home alone to enjoy some girly tv and finish up my friend Eva's baby shower invitations I offered to make.  I wanted a satisfying dinner that didn't take long to make so I came up with this lightly grilled BLT salad.  It's so easy to put together and definitely hits the spot! Warm BLT Salad with Stilton & Buttermilk Ranch

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-70084317733079337422011-04-01T09:07:00.000-04:002011-04-01T09:07:09.798-04:00

I never thought I'd see the day where I actually crave something like a sloppy joe.  I guess you'd have to know how weird I've been about food (meat especially) over the past 15 years to really understand.  I've had a 'thing' about the texture of ground-anything for the longest time but I'm proud to say - I think I'm over it.  I still don't eat beef, so I made these with ground turkey and thought

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-55446202414665671212011-03-24T09:43:00.000-04:002011-03-24T09:43:30.232-04:00

Earlier this week, I stopped at McEwan after work to spend a gift card Luke received for Christmas.  His company designs all of Mark McEwans restaurants and they also designed the kitchens in his gourmet food shop, McEwan.  We've had the gift card since before the holidays and have been waiting until I was in the area to grab some supplies for a nice dinner.  They have a great selection of meats

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-80196858050813929522011-03-21T07:54:00.000-04:002011-03-21T07:54:35.127-04:00

Boy, are we busy these days.  Between work, weekend plans and finishing up our laundry room project we've almost forgotten to even eat around here.  Well, not exactly.  But I have been forgetting to post some meals again. This past weekend was full of amazing food ending with a champagne brunch at Spencer's yesterday.  Their brunch is really worth checking out if you find yourself near Burlington

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-32183595195022105302011-03-12T19:25:00.000-05:002011-03-12T19:25:06.033-05:00

I found some organic sweet baby broccoli at the grocery store today and decided to build a meal around it.  Sometimes called broccolini, it is exactly as it sounds: a sweeter, smaller broccoli with much looser florets than traditional broccoli.  This dish would work with regular broccoli but if you can't get your hands on some broccolini I'd say to use rapini tips. This dish is so satisfying, we

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-30932192096967964352011-03-12T19:03:00.000-05:002011-03-12T19:03:54.782-05:00

I've fallen behind this week in actually posting some recipes.  We've made some pretty excellent meals but we've been so busy renovating our laundry room at night that I haven't gotten around to posting them  - until now. Monday night we were looking for a light meal that still delivered on flavour.  Thus, this salad was born. I love a good blood orange and we've been eating our fair share ever

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-18435875090588633582011-03-06T20:56:00.000-05:002011-03-06T20:56:44.912-05:00

Last nights dinner was a first for me.  It wasn't so long ago that I started eating pork again and so far I've preferred it to be in the bacon format.  I have never been a lover of pork chops or tenderloin but stuffed with three of my favorite ingredients: apples, pancetta & goat cheese - it's truly delicious.  Luke did all of the work butterflying, stuffing & rolling the meat and I helped with

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-77263543091925920162011-03-04T16:05:00.000-05:002011-03-04T16:05:08.412-05:00

I had never had Saganaki before but I have come across the Greek cheese Kasseri (one of the cheeses typically used in preparing saganaki) a few times recently which is strange because apparently it can be tricky to find.  I found it at Alex Farm Products in Etobicoke and even though the shop owner didn't give it much praise (he also doesn't like 'salty' cheese) I thought it was a sign and I

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-22609708204130665272011-02-27T10:10:00.000-05:002011-02-27T10:10:46.440-05:00

In the midst of a semi-major laundry room renovation, we made a simple roast chicken dinner last night to replenish our chicken stock.  Served with a bacon & barley risotto (which we've made before), roasted heirloom carrots and roasted brussels sprout leaves. We're helping our good friend Myke move to Toronto today and then we're heading bowling for Aunt Helen's birthday.  I've been meaning to

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-78388821657290577902011-02-25T22:11:00.001-05:002011-02-25T22:14:14.626-05:00

I mentioned in the last post that I really enjoyed our meal at Spice Route in Toronto.  It's an Asian Bistro that serves tapas style plates for the whole table to share.  We must have tried fourteen or fifteen dishes by the end of the night!  The wasabi & crispy noodle-wrapped shrimp with sesame-ginger mayo dipping sauce was our tables' favorite dish but the duck & chicken lettuce wraps were

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-38362193283529628602011-02-25T21:51:00.000-05:002011-02-25T21:51:32.443-05:00

Last week I was away at our national sales meeting in Toronto where we were completely spoiled with some amazing dinners including a catered meal at The Glass Factory, Biff's Bistro, Canoe & Spice Route (which was my personal fave).  All of the food was delicious and the mushroom soup at Biff's has had me craving mushrooms ever since (the duck confit was also one of the best things I've ever

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-41686798079958255412011-02-21T19:55:00.000-05:002011-02-21T19:55:52.019-05:00

We had our fourth annual (I can't believe it!) Sundae Sunday last night to celebrate todays holiday here in Ontario - Family Day.  The weather wasn't pretty so there wasn't a huge turn out but there's nothing wrong with some left-over sundae bar ingredients!   (We may or may not have celebrated Sundae Monday tonight too...) What was supposed to be a quiet weekend here resulted in Luke and I

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-91363222541767429502011-02-21T10:16:00.003-05:002011-02-26T18:47:09.854-05:00

Chicken pot pie is a monthly staple in this house and I think I can say that I've nearly perfected it.  While watching one of our favorite shows Top Chef All-Stars, Carla's winning pot pie dish looked too good not to try. After finding her recipe online here, I used it as a loose guide for making this latest pot pie.  I didn't have the time required for her recipe (it's pretty extensive!) and

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-8852464726396697922011-02-12T21:42:00.000-05:002011-02-12T21:42:48.245-05:00

I have been craving Singapore chili crab basically ever since we left the restaurant (even though at the time I was SO full I couldn't imagine eating one more bite) and I knew that eventually we would attempt it at home.  I have to say, it tasted nearly exactly as I remembered it tasting except maybe a little bit spicier. It is so so so good with warm crusty bread to dunk in the chili sauce in

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-22386291368268265962011-02-12T08:54:00.000-05:002011-02-12T08:54:56.378-05:00

Wow, it's been a while.  Maybe the longest span between posts yet?  Sorry folks. The truth is, ever since I started re-introducing foods back into my diet I've been satisfying craving after craving of things I hadn't had in weeks.  There were the usual take-out meals (Lugano's pizza & Wings-up), some amazing superbowl treats and a few home-cooked favorites that I just couldn't be bothered to

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-75914692106782866622011-02-02T19:55:00.000-05:002011-02-02T19:55:59.723-05:00

Today was a snow day here in Burlington.  We got lots of snow last night and it continued snowing all throughout the day today.  Almost all schools & businesses were closed today and both Luke & I were home from work.  I had bought all of the ingredients for a curried cauliflower last night but planned on serving it as a vegetable curry over rice.  Today was so cold & snowy that this meal became

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-75966206391726725632011-02-01T20:46:00.000-05:002011-02-01T20:46:51.704-05:00

So, I know my two weeks of the elimination diet have come and gone but I am still not feeling de-congested so I'm giving it another week.  Truth be told, it really hasn't been that bad.  I mean, there's obviously been moments over the past few weeks that I've wanted to cave and have something that breaks all of the rules at once but I've managed to get by just fine.  My strategy has been to be

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-21880560593589492702011-01-28T16:46:00.001-05:002011-01-29T08:15:45.903-05:00

I've mentioned before just how much I love the packaging for these King Soba noodles (& the website is pretty cute too)!  I've tried the sweet potato & buckwheat ones before and I came across the pumpkin & ginger ones earlier this week at the grocery store and just couldn't pass them up.  They're beautiful and they're perfect for the allergy diet.  You could make this dish with any noodle you

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-59843080895392956002011-01-27T20:04:00.000-05:002011-01-27T20:04:38.285-05:00

Last night's dinner was delicious.  It was the kind of meal that felt so rich & indulgent, it made me completely forget about the elimination diet ... until Luke grated parmesan cheese into his risotto.  But really, it was so good & creamy that it was definitely a treat. Oven-Roasted Salmon with Pea Risotto for two 2 portions of wild alaskan sockeye salmon1 c peas (fresh are ideal but frozen

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-10254882959756689522011-01-27T19:47:00.001-05:002011-01-27T19:47:44.538-05:00

I have been finding a lot of great recipes over at Gluten-free Goddess.  I stumbled across this recipe for a warm winter coleslaw and I thought it looked so tasty.  I swapped out the "spicy chili thai sauce" (what is that anyways??) for our favorite, sriracha sauce.  We had this for dinner on Tuesday night and the salad was equally delicious served cold for Wednesday's lunch.  I especially loved

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-67735403706679802712011-01-24T20:38:00.002-05:002011-01-24T20:39:47.653-05:00

I found this recipe and thought it looked delicious even though I couldn't have the goat cheese called for.  I decided to turn this quesadilla into a fajita because without the cheese, I feared the quesadilla would just fall apart in the pan.  It was so good.  It's a very hearty vegetarian meal packed with so many healthy nutrients & you won't even miss the cheese if you have to have it

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-33763562498198328452011-01-24T20:12:00.003-05:002011-01-24T20:13:28.511-05:00

I'm always excited to get the latest edition of Food & Drink from the LCBO but I'm even more excited that it featured a delicious looking recipe for a split-pea soup that perfectly complies with the elimination diet!What's even more perfect, I had picked up a bag of split peas last week with the intention on making a pea soup anyways.  This recipe was meant to be. Mildly Curried Split Pea Soup

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-73408905895511319992011-01-23T13:18:00.000-05:002011-01-23T13:18:34.728-05:00

A little update on the elimination diet: It's actually going quite well.  I haven't done many posts this week because my dinners have not always been that exciting.  I have really surprised myself & managed to bring my diet-friendly lunch with me everyday and not be tempted by all of the Valentines sweets that seem to be everywhere these days.  The problem is, I'm still stuffed up!  This diet

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-13758133008801502812011-01-19T20:45:00.000-05:002011-01-19T20:45:04.915-05:00

Charla planned a great day at a cooking school on an Organic farm outside of Chiang Mai where we learnt to cook five dishes each and learnt a bit more about the ingredients, cooking & eating process from the school's gardener & chef, Tommy. When we arrived we were given these cute (?) hats & aprons to put on ... we brought our own Changs. We walked through the garden and learnt about Thai

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-78514779472554919422011-01-18T19:19:00.000-05:002011-01-18T19:19:55.639-05:00

This isn't so bad.  I have to say that today was a little easier than yesterday and I'm hoping the trend continues for the next week and a half.  Luke is away tonight at a work "product knowledge dinner".  Since he designs restaurant kitchens, this entails some company bringing their chefs in to cook everything under the sun & show off their neat appliances.  I'm glad he's out enjoying prime rib,

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-10562520939194091692011-01-17T19:31:00.002-05:002011-01-17T19:33:10.461-05:00

Yesterday was day one of my allergen detox and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Even when Luke pulled out some leftover pizza (from my 'last meal' Saturday night) for lunch, I was ok.  I think that it really helped being organized.  I have a folder of bookmarked recipes, a rough meal plan for the week & more groceries than we've ever had before.  Usually, I go to the grocery store

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-16492808202658927172011-01-14T07:11:00.000-05:002011-01-14T07:11:03.360-05:00

This blog is about to become extremely ironic.  For the last five or six years I've had some pretty bad sinus problems which, over time, I have attributed to either cheese or wine.  I know.  Basically my two favorite things to consume.  I'm not 100% sure that I can attribute my symptoms to these but I do tend to suffer from allergy attacks right after having certain wines.  I'm determined that

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-52326346362499779822011-01-13T06:51:00.001-05:002011-01-13T06:52:19.713-05:00

This week has been full of lazy meals.  This jetlag has hit us both pretty hard but it's starting to get a bit better.  We've been completely exhausted by about six or seven every night and haven't felt like making anything that involves any effort what-so-ever for dinner (nevermind taking the time to blog about it!).   We had this sandwich spread on Tuesday night and it was delicious.  It did

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-79972466220467812862011-01-10T11:13:00.003-05:002011-01-10T11:30:58.497-05:00

We're baaaaaack.  We had an amazing Christmas in Almonte followed by an incredible trip to Southeast Asia for New Year's with Luke's family.  We started in Singapore visiting my sister-in-law and then traveled to Krabi, Chiang Mai & Bangkok, Thailand.  We had some once in a lifetime experiences like visiting some hill-tribe villages and spending a day feeding & bathing abused elephants at a

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-76511600286135707752010-12-22T10:06:00.001-05:002010-12-22T10:09:02.098-05:00

So, that one last post I was trying to get in isn't going to happen.  Too many ends to tie up between work, gift-wrapping & baking before we head out for the holidays.  Our dear friend Adele who'll be staying with our pups while we're away took these photos of Lincoln a few Christmases ago and I thought I'd leave you all with a shot of his beautiful mug. From our family to yours, we'd like to

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-10127569221865080152010-12-20T13:12:00.002-05:002010-12-20T13:14:15.111-05:00

OK. I do realize it's been over a week since my last post (I think that may be a record) but I've had an extremely unfortunate string of illnesses over the past two weeks. After semi-recovering from the stomach flu today, I really needed some soup. I know the last post was a soup, and also featured bacon but you'll have to let this one slide. Besides, it's delicious. I always feel like when soup

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-3280871308321089672010-12-13T19:46:00.000-05:002010-12-13T19:46:50.317-05:00

I was shocked that you could actually still buy fresh corn on the cob in the markets this time of year and it's actually not that bad.  It's certainly not Ontario fresh corn from the peak of summertime but it's not as bad as I expected.  This soup would obviously be best when the local corn is best but it did the trick & warmed us up on this freezing cold night. Sweet Corn Soup with Bacon &

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-21401151799597428342010-12-12T19:45:00.002-05:002010-12-12T19:49:39.419-05:00

With a little push from my friend Erica, I finally started some Christmas baking this weekend.  With some snacks & wine spritzers, we managed to make a boat-load of Christmas treats on Saturday.  For the past few years I've made homemade marshmallows and this year I wanted to make them but with a little twist.  I saw these pretty marshmallows on the martha site and used the idea, but with my

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-12155738770927874812010-12-09T19:14:00.000-05:002010-12-09T19:14:39.598-05:00

I've been sick all week long and haven't had much of an appetite so we haven't been cooking anything exciting but I wanted to post a snack we made not too long ago.  I love dill pickles and have made my own batches the past two years.  It was only a few years ago that I first tried deep fried dill pickles (they always seemed so weird to me) but they're insanely delicious.   We've made these a few

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-82132366107448305832010-12-06T19:14:00.001-05:002010-12-06T19:15:46.604-05:00

We've been completely out of chicken stock for quite some time now (I guess since Thanksgiving's batch) so a roasted chicken was imminent.  We recently saw a 'best of the best' feature on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations where Thomas Keller featured his recipe for a simple roasted chicken.  Luke has roasted plenty of chickens but never one as simple as this.  Thomas Keller doesn't use anything

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-33717808079689991202010-12-04T10:58:00.001-05:002010-12-04T10:58:39.918-05:00

Now that this crazy work week is over, I finally had time to make a nice Friday night meal.  I was so exhausted last night that I needed something relatively quick & easy since I knew I wanted to be in bed early.  I found this recipe and used it as a base for a delicious soup.  We didn't have any apple cider on hand, and whiskey goes so well with both cheddar & apples we tried it as a

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-18784851707123807592010-11-29T20:18:00.001-05:002010-11-29T21:27:50.855-05:00

I should start by apologizing for the lack of posts lately but I spent the weekend celebrating, recovering & celebrating again.  It was filled with both all-you-can-eat sushi and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner too.  Now it's back to the real world and this week I am extremely busy with work so tonight's meal had to be extremely easy to prepare but also very satisfying. A friend of ours

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-67953449104861036082010-11-24T19:12:00.000-05:002010-11-24T19:12:33.371-05:00

It's my birthday-eve and I thought that deserved a special meal.  It's not every day that we eat pasta with a butter sauce but it sure is tasty.  We had some leftover homemade pumpkin pasta in the freezer and it was perfect with the brown butter sauce & sage.  Served with a baby spinach salad with candied pecans, crispy prosciutto & blue cheese dressing. We're celebrating tomorrow night at a bar

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-28719993727736835212010-11-22T20:30:00.001-05:002010-11-22T20:31:04.526-05:00

We had a pretty amazing weekend.  My longtime friend and her insanely mature little sis came down for an early birthday celebration.  The highlight was definitely the Gourmet Food & Wine Show, which after last year I vowed never to miss again.  I ate a lot of amazing food and drank way too many different types of alcohol.  A few noteworthy samples were the Domaine Pinnacle Iced Cider, Ruelo

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-45703163108839276202010-11-18T18:55:00.000-05:002010-11-18T18:55:31.385-05:00

We love grilled cheese.  It's easily one of my favorite meals, ever.  We're always trying new ways to enjoy our grilled cheese and since we also love french onion soup, this seemed like a no-brainer.  I bought these great triangle multi-grain ciabatta buns from Marilu's and we pressed them between two cast iron pans as a homemade panini press.  So, so good. French Onion Panini Caramelized Onions

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-90171694202098422112010-11-17T19:22:00.000-05:002010-11-17T19:22:58.499-05:00

This week has been full of vegetarian meals & I know Luke is really craving some meat.  Even though this may not have been the meaty dish he had in mind it's a perfectly hearty meal for a vegetarian and you could easily add in some ground sausage if you've got some on hand.  The roasted garlic risotto is creamy, filling & definitely delicious. Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes with Roasted Garlic &

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-61680821728295236742010-11-17T18:56:00.000-05:002010-11-17T18:56:22.100-05:00

Last night was so cold & rainy here in Burlington and even though I had a meal planned out, I just couldn't shake the craving I had for a bowl of soup.  I thought about all of the soups we've made over the past year and I realized one of the only kinds we haven't made yet is a broccoli soup.  I lightened it up a lot yet it still maintained that creamy texture.  I served the soup with Pasquale's

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-6408056689345151772010-11-15T20:08:00.001-05:002010-11-15T20:35:59.332-05:00

This past weekend was a great weekend.  My parents came down for a short visit so we could celebrate both my Dad's birthday which was last week and my own which is coming up at the end of the month.  I got a little spoiled (ok, a lot spoiled), we had a nice dinner out at Earl's and had some beers at our place to watch the hockey game. Normally, I crave slow Sunday suppers that cook all day but

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-21682210371614438182010-11-12T07:30:00.001-05:002010-11-12T16:32:06.458-05:00

While working in Etobicoke yesterday, I stopped into Pasta International for a bite to eat and was overwhelmed by the amount of fresh pastas, breads, soups & sauces.  The place smelled so good that not only was I going to grab a focaccia roll for lunch I knew I had to bring something home for dinner too. Fresh Rigatoni Pasta with Homemade Meat Sauce, Basil & Goat Cheese for two about 200 grams

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-59281572404309716562010-11-09T20:09:00.002-05:002010-11-09T20:56:50.609-05:00

We had some leftover garlic naan bread from our pub-night on Saturday and I thought I'd make a nice Indian dish for dinner to use the last 2 slices.  I don't cook Indian food often, but I do know that it's all about the spice.  If you can't find garam masala spice you can easily make your own.  I bought Arvinda's garam masala spice blend & I love the pretty tin it came in.  It should help the

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-88798671080556579462010-11-08T19:22:00.002-05:002010-11-08T19:27:01.609-05:00

After the food we've had this weekend, we were due for a good salad for dinner.  On our way home from our hike with the dogs yesterday we stopped in at Picard's Peanuts in Waterdown.  Luke chose these honey-roasted sunflower seeds & they're delicious.  If you can't find honey-roasted just substitute regular old roasted sunflower seeds, I'm sure they'll be good too.  Luke had bacon on his (it

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-39105448080037798052010-11-07T18:32:00.000-05:002010-11-07T18:32:06.186-05:00

We took advantage of the nice weather here today and took our dogs on a hike on the Bruce Trail.  They loved every second of it & then slept the rest of the day away.  After the hike, I wanted a nice comforting meal for our Sunday supper.  I've had the idea to make a B.L.T mac 'n cheese for some time now & today we had everything we needed on hand. B.L.T Mac 'n Cheesewith Double-Thick Bacon, Baby

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-31058485610043743532010-11-07T01:09:00.003-04:002010-11-07T08:34:58.194-05:00

We originally intended on having a few friends over tonight to finish the keg from our Halloween party and enjoy some genuine pub-style grub.  Turns out after a few pints this week, the keg didn't have as much beer left as we thought.  That wasn't going to ruin our pub night though, we picked up some cans of beer & planned the ultimate pub-style appetizer platter.  Turns out you actually don't

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-13377451760851692832010-11-03T18:47:00.000-04:002010-11-03T18:47:08.601-04:00

I have had a serious craving for blue cheese this week so I bought some St. Agur blue cheese & just had to come up with the best way to showcase it in tonight's dinner.  It's a bold statement, but I really think this is the best pizza I've made yet.  I saw these Italian Abate Pears at the grocery store & knew they'd be perfect with the cheese & caramelized onions. Thin-Crust Pizza with

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-35887479980012065682010-11-02T22:13:00.001-04:002010-11-02T22:15:16.159-04:00

After a long few days and way too many trips to a little Spanish grocery store near Jane & Finch in Toronto to sort out a debit mishap (long story), I found myself with 2 links of chorizo sausage to cook up this week.  One of Luke's 'go-to' meals with sausage is shepherd's pie.  Traditionally shepherd's pie consists of ground beef or lamb topped with corn & mashed potatoes.  We've done a few

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-72967706908678851822010-11-01T21:21:00.001-04:002010-11-01T21:21:59.857-04:00

This soup is extremely easy to make and very delicious.  The perfect Monday night meal after a weekend full of way too much food.  The chipotle pepper adds quite a bit of heat but a squeeze of lemon balances this soup well & the crispy tortilla strips make great crackers. Chicken Tortilla Soup serves two 1 28oz can of diced tomatoes2 c chicken stock1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, more

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-37102060899342175322010-10-31T18:11:00.000-04:002010-10-31T18:11:34.517-04:00

We had the greatest night last night.  Halloween is by far my favorite event of the year and Luke & I have been hosting a Halloween party since we've known each other.  Every year it seems to get better & better and this year was no exception.  Everyone who came dressed up and our friends helped to make the place look great & brought a tonne of treats.  I thought I'd share a few photos from the

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-43529727885149456312010-10-27T20:15:00.001-04:002010-10-27T20:17:04.320-04:00

Luke and I both like chipotle flavour a lot (how could you not like smoked jalapenos?) and I wanted to incorporate it into a southwest-style pasta bake for tonight's dinner.  I had never actually bought chipotle peppers before (they come canned in adobo sauce found in the Mexican section of the grocery store) and woah! are they ever spicy.  Chipotle chili powder has a bit of a kick to it but I

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-23887235847499277642010-10-27T07:33:00.000-04:002010-10-27T07:33:32.604-04:00

Last night our friend Erica came over and we had the intention on getting our Halloween costumes together.  Well, she worked hard on hers and I....well I didn't touch mine.  It'll come together soon though (I guess it better there's only a few days left!) and I will be sure to post pictures. I used this recipe from Allrecipes but didn't make the cucumber sauce.  I've seen this garlic sauce at

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-17422952735337426202010-10-24T20:07:00.001-04:002010-10-24T20:19:45.204-04:00

Yet another perfectly autumn Sunday meal.  We've had these decorative small pumpkins around our house for a while now and I've been meaning to cook one up (not to mention I've been seriously craving some roasted seeds).  We had some pine nuts leftover from our Friday night dinner & I thought a good pesto would be the perfect accompaniment to this seasonal pasta.  The Beemster xo is a new spin on

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-75187711605247792682010-10-23T12:58:00.002-04:002010-10-23T16:00:23.110-04:00

Last night Luke and I made dinner for his parents to celebrate his dad's birthday last week.  We had a fantastic evening and had a chance to see some truly amazing photos from their trip to the grand canyon last week.  I love these shots of the slot canyons they visited. The Menu: Endive & Pear Salad with Red Grapes, Toasted Pine Nuts & Beemster xo cheese with a caramelized pear vinaigrette

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-14549147702860650182010-10-21T19:38:00.001-04:002010-10-21T20:58:01.415-04:00

I was really craving a creamy pasta tonight and with a few changes to the typical rose sauce you can really reduce a lot of the fat.  I made my own sauce with just a drizzle of olive oil, an onion, a couple of cloves of garlic, a can of tomatoes & basil.  By making your own sauce you can control the amount of oil and salt.  Also, there's no cream in sight for this meal.  By substituting a bit of

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-33226908354763404692010-10-20T22:17:00.001-04:002010-10-23T20:30:52.903-04:00

I'm not sure how but tonight is the first night I really realized just how many potatoes Helen & Kerry gave us for our Thanksgiving meal.  We've had them stored away in their brown paper bag, potatoes still covered in dirt and there are so many of them!  I love having them on hand and they're still tasting delicious.  Tonight's meal was just thrown together with things that we had already which

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-16906429126052202782010-10-19T21:56:00.001-04:002010-10-21T07:39:50.307-04:00

This was (and still is) one of my parents favorite go-to recipes in the fall.  I have always loved this soup because it's so hearty (& healthy too!) and it's bound to warm you up when the temperatures start to drop.  You can add whatever vegetables you like or even switch up the meat to ground turkey or chicken (or go veggie which is what I always do).  Tonight, I added used some leftover ground

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-53297680165983699022010-10-17T18:20:00.003-04:002010-10-21T20:59:01.086-04:00

We've had quite the weekend full of good food.  Between Friday night's all-you-can-eat sushi at August 8 and last night's Thai feast I was ready for a slow-cooked Sunday supper.  There's something about cooking something low & slow for a few hours on a Sunday that just feels right.  Especially when we're talking delicious baked beans & double-smoked bacon.  Served with fresh dinner rolls & these

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-40319093538966095472010-10-17T11:13:00.001-04:002010-10-17T13:09:18.656-04:00

Last night was our friend Erica's birthday and we celebrated the only way I know how, with a huge feast.  There were about 6 of us for dinner and Erica had requested a Thai themed meal.  I had made many of these meals before so it was pretty easy to throw these together and still have a great time at the party. The menu: Cold Rolls with Hoisin Dipping Sauce Thai Mango salad with cilantro &

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-38946262041095446352010-10-14T18:07:00.001-04:002010-10-14T18:07:56.167-04:00

We're both feeling a bit under the weather so I wanted to make a good soup for tonight's dinner.  This soup was perfectly creamy & had just the right amount of spice to clear up any cold that might be lurking.  You know I'm not feeling well when I can't even bring myself to clean off the pumpkin seeds to roast!  Curried Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Soup (serves two + some leftovers) 1 small pumpkin,

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-8514720489235174892010-10-13T21:14:00.001-04:002010-10-13T21:17:20.735-04:00

Tonight's dinner was full of flavour & extremely easy to make.  Roasted vegetables are so tasty on their own but tossed with roasted cherry, yellow & kumato tomatoes they make the perfect sauce for this cheese ravioli.  This fresh ricotta is also so creamy and honestly, better than I thought ricotta could be. Baked Ratatouille Ravioli with Fresh Ricotta Cheese   (Serves two - three) 1 package

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-48782249678768917492010-10-12T19:01:00.002-04:002010-10-12T20:09:33.143-04:00

I was watching the Food Network a while ago and saw a recipe for thinly sliced potatoes baked in chicken stock.  I attempted the recipe (to the best of my memory) earlier this summer and it was so good.  I wanted to try it again, this time slicing the potatoes even thinner & using our homemade turkey stock.  After doing a bit of searching, I found this recipe and it turns out this is a classic

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-21729659449319598692010-10-11T15:17:00.000-04:002010-10-11T15:17:03.045-04:00

After a couple club sandwiches yesterday and last night's turkey casserole we're starting to make some headway on the leftovers.  With all of the fresh turkey stock we have, it seemed obvious that we needed a soup.  I found this original recipe on Martha Stewart and decided to use it as inspiration for today's lunch. Simple Turkey Noodle Soup You'll need (serves two): 1 c leeks (white & green

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-31596346352127033352010-10-10T23:05:00.001-04:002010-10-12T10:07:13.217-04:00

Our friends Dave & Dannie came over tonight for thanksgiving leftovers.  I did some browsing today for thanksgiving leftover ideas and came across this one that caught my eye.  I lightened it up a bit with fresh turkey stock, light cream & thyme and added some onions, garlic & a pinch of nutmeg for even more flavour. Four-Cheese Turkey Casserole with Peas & Toasted Almonds You'll need (serves

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-51467065769415661722010-10-10T13:20:00.002-04:002010-10-10T13:44:23.695-04:00

Thanksgiving was a big success.  It was so nice to have my family down (including my grandfather!) and Helen & Kerry over for way too much food.  I made a huge blogging faux-pas and forgot to take photos of the meal (oops)!  We were so busy getting everything together including: salad, mashed potatoes (using Helen & Kerry's freshly dug garden potatoes ... yum!), roasted carrots with bacon, thyme

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-8399871278543719912010-10-08T21:44:00.002-04:002010-10-08T21:45:47.284-04:00

This week has been full of take-out.  We finally got a new stove (yay!) and it's taken a few nights to run the gas lines up to the kitchen to have it hooked up & working properly.  I was so thankful tonight to have a working stove back in the kitchen and to make a home-cooked meal. I saw this recipe on the Martha Stewart site and thought it sounded interesting and in-tune with the season as I've

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-90841464191321482432010-10-05T18:36:00.000-04:002010-10-05T18:36:05.901-04:00

Tonight's meal was a simple salad.  You could easily add chicken or better yet, bacon if you want to make this salad more of a meal.  I picked up an Ontario bosch pear at the store yesterday and it was perfect for this salad.  Perfectly tart & crisp, it held up extremely well while roasting. We also enjoyed our first pomegranate of the season last night for dessert and it was so good.  It seemed

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-13428310730701993952010-10-05T07:39:00.000-04:002010-10-05T07:39:26.464-04:00

I spotted this recipe in the Inspired by Compliments magazine that they started including in with the Food & Drink magazines from the LCBO.  It stood out to me because not only had I never made anything like this, I had never tried anything like this either.  I made a few adjustments (mainly cutting the recipe in two and substituting chicken stock for the water) and it turned out delicious.  The

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-18886495513594260042010-10-01T19:49:00.000-04:002010-10-01T19:49:22.780-04:00

Luke's away at Blue Mountain for a work/golf trip this weekend so tonight was the perfect night to make some homemade sushi.  He's not a big fan of sushi and I can't get enough.  I absolutely love love love New Gen's spicy vegetarian maki and had a serious craving today.  Since today was a work-from-home day, going all of the way to Toronto was out of the question.  Sure, I could find some good

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-32132493801959150602010-09-30T21:34:00.001-04:002010-09-30T21:35:15.668-04:00

This is the type of dish you can throw together with almost any vegetables you have on hand.  Basically any bell pepper / tomato / zucchini / eggplant / mushroom / caramelized onion / balsamic / garlic combination works really well with the goat cheese.  The sauce is so simple: roasted cherry tomatoes & roasted onions mashed together and it's so good.  Fettuccine with Roasted Cherry Tomato &

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-28449784110136679762010-09-28T18:53:00.000-04:002010-09-28T18:53:28.575-04:00

Let's face it:  This isn't the healthiest meal out there but we haven't had much take-out lately and we bought some awesome looking russet potatoes at the market that just needed cooking.  Justified?  I think so.  Delicious?  Oh yeah. Not too long ago, Luke and I were watching an episode of No Reservations where they featured the "best" of some classic dishes.  The restaurant that was featured

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-47495227240585550682010-09-26T18:23:00.003-04:002010-09-26T19:59:33.549-04:00

I roasted up my first batch of pumpkin seeds this afternoon and they were extra-special because I added in the seeds from tonight's butternut squash too.  The first batch of the season is always kept nice and simple, tossed with a bit of olive oil & seasoned salt.  It's just the start of pumpkin season, there will be plenty of time to experiment with seed recipes like sweet&spicy or even green

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-40399081040372345572010-09-25T18:28:00.000-04:002010-09-25T18:28:07.357-04:00

We woke up early this morning and headed to the Hamilton Farmer's Market with some friends.  It's become a Saturday morning ritual over the past month or so and I like it.  I knew two things going into that market:  I wanted to make french onion soup for dinner & I needed to find a pumpkin. Not only did we get some amazing ingredients for the french onion soup and a pumpkin, we also left with a

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-90411016474784103102010-09-23T21:02:00.000-04:002010-09-23T21:02:54.584-04:00

We bought these amazing looking candy-cane beets at the Hamilton Farmer's Market and I've been dying to cut into them to check them out.  I had never seen or heard of candy-cane beets but completely understood the name the moment I cut the tips off the beats ... perfect red & white strips inside.  Amazing!  Unfortunately these stripes sort of bleed together during the roasting process but don't

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-83079365055966584442010-09-22T19:48:00.001-04:002010-09-22T20:52:27.059-04:00

The weather has been all over the place here in Southern Ontario.  One week it's chilly fall temperatures and the next you'd think it was the dead of summer.  Even though the temperatures have risen over the past few days, it's officially fall & that calls for a good soup ... especially since we made tonnes of chicken stock after our roast chicken earlier this week! Creamy Potato & Rosemary Soup

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-26605589459113841482010-09-20T20:50:00.000-04:002010-09-20T20:50:20.141-04:00

While I was in St. Jacob's, I picked up these cedar papers.  They're amazing!  You only have to soak them for 10-20 minutes which is nothing compared to the hours required for a whole cedar plank!  It's easy to get that smokey-flavour and you don't even have to use the barbecue!  The salmon was from the Hamilton Farmer's Market and it was so delicious (& the portions were huge)!  The crispy

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-54691690126433031602010-09-19T20:37:00.005-04:002010-09-19T21:42:10.819-04:00

Today, it's this little blogs' birthday.  One year ago, we decided to start capturing the dinners we'd already been making for years.  It started as a place to log all of these recipes for future reference but after over 260 meals, it turns out we don't actually repeat a lot of meals around here.  Always being inspired by new things at the grocery store or market, it always seems like there's

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-39966195679680248302010-09-18T18:47:00.002-04:002010-09-19T19:59:28.058-04:00

We celebrated our good friend Diana's birthday last night and boy did we have a great time.  The food at Pepperwood's was excellent & the gelato from Crema Di Gelato was even better.  I had the pear & caramel combination which it was a little taste of heaven. Luke & I woke up early this morning, loosely planned our week's meals and headed off to the Hamilton Farmer's Market.  We got SO many great

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-89574318849179489382010-09-16T19:25:00.001-04:002010-09-16T19:26:33.697-04:00

I've been craving a panini lately and since we don't have a panini press we had to get a little creative in the kitchen tonight.  We heated one cast iron pan over medium-high heat and used another to press on top of the sandwich, flipped it half way and it worked out perfectly. BBQ Chicken Panini with Cracked Pepper Oven Fries You'll need (serves 2):2 multigrain ciabatta loaves1 boneless

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-49430500129988855532010-09-15T20:52:00.001-04:002010-09-15T22:16:01.784-04:00

I had some amazing meals in St. Jacob's but it sure is good to be home and eating home-cooked meals again.  I went to The Bauer Kitchen on Sunday night for dinner and it was amaaazing.  The atmosphere was totally my style and the food was so good (the white sauce prosciutto pizza was to die for).  The second night, we ended up going to one of The Bauer Kitchen's sister restaurants, Wildcraft.  I

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-89035915510076905032010-09-11T18:27:00.001-04:002010-09-11T18:28:37.893-04:00

As I've mentioned, fall is here and I love it.  I have been craving chili and while browsing online for new chili ideas I found this RR recipe for Buffalo Chicken Chili.  It was so yummy, extremely easy to make and the blue cheese nachos were perfect for dunking.  I added chopped green onion, a bit of blue cheese dressing on top of the chili and fresh veggies.   I'm leaving way too early tomorrow

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-85590042374560410792010-09-09T19:57:00.001-04:002010-09-09T19:58:04.403-04:00

When the temperatures start to drop, all I can seem to think of are warm spicy foods.  Fall is the perfect time for soups, chili, roasts & anything with a bit of heat.  It's my favorite season & I'm already getting excited.  This curry is the perfect dish to warm up a chilly night & can be adjusted to add almost anything you like.  You could easily add some fish or chicken or substitute the

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-78702791661993073082010-09-07T19:52:00.001-04:002010-09-07T21:56:02.503-04:00

Who doesn't love a good pot pie?  I know we sure do & we hadn't had one in a while.  I tried to switch it up a bit for this blogs' sake but it's true that I love a traditional pot pie.  I've made it a bit 'lighter' by using lots of fresh veggies & herbs, only homemade chicken stock in the sauce, eliminating the bottom layer of pie & using a multi-grain dough.  I didn't even come close to missing

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-17113485964506361642010-09-06T18:59:00.006-04:002010-09-07T08:18:30.590-04:00

I have been waiting for this day ever since I made the first batch of pickled heirloom carrots nearly two months ago.  I knew that they would make the perfect addition to a fall charcuterie plate.  Autumn sort of crept up on us here in Southern Ontario with temperatures falling quickly over the past few days.  This Labour day was a slow day of pickling & eating. We picked up the essentials for a

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-62068587538747738802010-09-06T12:52:00.003-04:002010-09-06T13:57:55.716-04:00

So, not only was The Bread Bar delicious - but we also decided to go back to the Hamilton Farmers' Market to stock up on even more goodies.  At The Bread Bar, we sampled the blueberry white chocolate scones, monkey bread (sort of like a glazed timbit muffin) and some of the milk & honey bread.  It was all pretty incredible to say the least.  If you live in the area and haven't been yet, you

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-60081736861782090132010-09-04T08:40:00.003-04:002010-09-04T08:42:14.196-04:00

I often crave this breakfast I had at Pan Chancho in Kingston and decided to switch it up a bit for a dinner-time treat.  The combination of the honey, feta & olive oil is so so so good and the addition of grilled asparagus & crispy prosciutto was a pretty good take on the original. Olive-Oil Marinated Feta with Honey, Grilled Asparagus & Crispy Prosciutto on Ciabatta You'll need (serves 2): 4

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-53123528155136743482010-09-03T07:27:00.001-04:002010-09-03T07:29:20.868-04:00

This dish really is the epitome of easy and the flavours are clean & simple (but very tasty none-the-less).  I've always been a bit intimidated when it comes to preparing fish but I'm learning that it's really not that different from preparing chicken.  Of course it's a lot more delicate, which means not only do you have to be careful when handling/flipping but it also takes less time to cook. 

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-19251548467845913372010-09-01T20:22:00.001-04:002010-09-01T20:22:32.673-04:00

I had the girls over tonight and we made the most delicious salad, maybe ever.  It was really fresh & light but still perfectly filling.  Not too filling though, we needed to save room for the half green apple / half caramel gelato we had for dessert.  Yum! Citrus Salad with Goat Cheese, Crispy Prosciutto & Toasted Walnuts You'll need (serves 2):enough lettuce for two (we used mixed greens &

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-59701809011628259522010-08-31T19:53:00.000-04:002010-08-31T19:53:57.797-04:00

I found this recipe here but switched it up ever-so-slightly.  I have to say, it was pretty delicious.  I'll admit I was a bit unsure of the avocado & pasta combo but I do love both of those things - how could I not love this?  Both Luke & I cleaned our bowls and with all of those vibrant veggies in there this may just be the healthiest mac 'n cheese yet. Mexican Mac 'n Cheese You'll need (

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-34490081890972685002010-08-29T17:53:00.003-04:002010-09-06T17:25:40.718-04:00

Beerfest was a BIG success.  It seems to get better every year, with more people coming & more beers to sample!  This year we sampled: Griffon Red AleSam'l Smith's Organic Raspberry BeerLake of Bays Pale AleBeau's Lug TreadHockley DarkHoptical Illusion IPAYankee Jim LagerCooper's Sparkling AleTyskie BeerEdelweissKingfisher Premium LagerPumphouse Blueberry AleCreemore Springs Kellerbier Cameron's

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-40420336738409636962010-08-27T11:24:00.003-04:002010-08-27T17:27:07.570-04:00

This blog has been a bit neglected this week but we have been doing lots of cooking! Wednesday was Luke's birthday & he made his famous 14-hour slow-smoked pulled pork for his baseball team and I've been preparing for our 3rd annual Beerfest this weekend. Luke and I both have our competition beers ready and now it's time to get making the beer-themed foods. This year we're going to have some

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6209956312601509625.post-80313008606614640532010-08-23T19:13:00.004-04:002010-08-23T20:14:14.977-04:00

These tacos are extremely versatile and can be made with any meat or fish you like best.  You could also add some shiitake mushrooms and keep them all veggie.  I really wanted to make the tacos with won-ton wrappers as the shells (which also make great nachos!) but they were sold out at the grocery store so I ended up just using tortillas.  You could obviously skip the making-your-own-part and go

Melanie Marshallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01539962270462438706noreply@blogger.com1